After leading until 3:35 was left, South Lenoir played its last game of the season Friday night.

The Blue Devils led 21-19 until Kinston’s Will Deters’ field goal put the Vikings ahead. Each team would have two more chances to try and score, but the board remained final.

SL (1-10, 0-5) put up a 21-7 halftime lead, with two early scores by Blue Devils running back Noah Stroud.

Kinston’s quarterback Tiquan Canady began the scoring for the Vikings but would later leave the game with an injury. The Vikings alternated between Thomas Vermillion and Tavon Herns at QB.

Vermillion threw two TD passes and Herns led the Vikings rushing with 133 yards on 21 carries. KHS finished with 138 total passing yards.

Qwarri Ham and Anthony Berry were the other two Vikings to score. Dion Jones scored what became SL’s final TD in the second quarter.

Kinston had a slow start, and was actually outgained by SL a few yards (318-315).

Dion Jones led the Blue Devils with 168 yards on 29 carries, with Stroud accounting for 83 of South Lenoir’s 209 rushing yards. SL only had nine passing yards, with QB Kyle Huffman going 1-of-6 with an interception.

A Kinston pass was also picked off between the three quarterbacks who played.

The Vikings (6-5, 4-1) kept the Halifax Cup in their house and moved on to playoffs with Friday’s win. NCHSAA 2A seedings will be announced today.

GREENE CENTRAL 20, GOLDSBORO 19

The Rams earned the final playoff spot out of the EC2A in holding on over Goldsboro Friday.

Greene Central (3-8, 3-2) started 0-7 this year.

GC’s defense stepped up Friday to block a potential game-winning field goal attempt with 20 seconds left in the game. The Rams were down by two touchdowns going into the fourth quarter before pulling off the win.

Neither team scored in the third quarter, and Curtez Braswell caught a pair of touchdown passes from Austin Batchelor to lift Greene Central to an eventual victory.

Batchelor finished with 142 yards on 8-of-29 passing with no interceptions. Braswell caught four passes for 75 yards.

The Rams’ Unique Joyner also found the end zone.

Goldsboro outgained the Rams 351-297, with QB Nashir Bowden passing for 167 yards and three interceptions. Rashied Malette led all rushers with 152 yards, and Greene Central’s Ronshon Bullock was the rushing leader for the Rams with 92 yards on 26 carries.

AYDEN GRIFTON 48, NORTH LENOIR 14

Ayden-Grifton finished undefeated in the Eastern Carolina 2A Friday with its win over the Hawks.

North Lenoir didn’t score in the second half, as the Chargers (5-6, 5-0) went on to score twice more.

Ayden-Grifton claimed the top spot in the conference and will have home field in at least one round of the state playoffs.

The Hawks finished their season 2-9 overall and 1-4 in the conference.